Vehicle-bridge



H. H. HOWELL.

VEHICLE BRIDGE. APPLICATION FILED'OCT-Zfi, 1919.

Pafented Jan. 4, 1921.

HARRY H. HOWELL, OF HOPE, ARKANSAS.

VEHICLE-BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Application filed October 25, 1919. Serial No. 333,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. HOWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hope, in the county of Hempstead and State of Arkansas, haveinventednew and useful Vehicle-Bridges, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention is an auto br dge and its principal object is toprovide a bridge to be mounted at the curbing of the pavement to permitthe passage of an automobile from the street on to the pavement at apoint where the usual inclined driveways for the entrance of anautomobile are not provided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bridge or trackwaywhich when not in use may be supported in a perpendicular position.

a It is another object to provide a latch of novel form for retainingthe bridge in up standing position.

lVith the above and other objects in View, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that various changes in theprecise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the bridge in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of one of the side bars and the latchengaging the same;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 44 of Fig. 3, thelatch being shown in dotted lines in releasing position, parts of theside bar being broken away.

Referring to the figures bycharacters .of reference A designates aportion of a roadway having a curb B alongside thereof. Embedded inthiscurb are hollow posts 1 both having at their upper ends, smallopenings 2 provided with pulleys 3 and mounted 'in these openings andupon these pulleys are chains 4 or other flexible devices carryingweights 5 adapted to slide within posts 1.

Mounted for rotation within the posts close to the top of the curb B arestems 6 secured to the sides of the bridge structure and which structureis formed of parallel angle strips 7 and 8 connected by pairs of anglestrips 9 disposed at right angles thereto. The strips 9 of each pair areconnected by cross slats 10, thus forming runways, as shown, and thechains 4 are connected to the outer ends of the strips 9 at the outersides of the runways. Those portions of the strips 8 and 7 between thetwo runways are connected by crossed braces 11 and extending downwardlyfrom the strip 8 between the runways is a reinforcing flange 12.

Secured to each of the posts 1 is a collar 13 having a stop 14 extendinginto the path of the side strips 9 when the bridge is swung upwardly toraised positions. During the swinging of the bridge the weights 5 movedownwardly into the posts. Pivotally connected to each of the ears 14 isa latch 15 having parallel fingers 16 and 17. A slot is formed in eachpost to receive the latch, as shown at 18 and when the latch is in itsslot 18 the bridge can be swung upwardly between the posts. During thismovement the sides of the bridge will move backwardly against thefingers 16 and cause the latches to swing out of the slots 18 with theirfingers 17 extending in front of the bridge. Thus the bridge is held inupstanding position and cannot be lowered until the latches are swunglaterally to remove the fingers 17 from in front of the bridge. lVhenthe bridge is lowered its movement will be retarded by the weights 5 andafter the free end of the bridge has been brought to position on theroadway A, a vehicle may be driven over the bridge onto or from thepavement.

What is claimed is 2- 1. The combination with posts of a bridge hingedlyconnected to the posts, counter-balancing means movably connected to theposts and attached to the free ends of the bridge, latches pivotallyconnected to the posts, and fingers extending from the latches, onefinger on each latch projecting into the path of and adapted to beoperated by the bridge when raised, and the other finger of each latchbeing movable in the path of the raised bridge to hold it against returnmovement.

2. The combination with a post and a bridge mounted to swing relative tothe post, of counter balancing means movably connected to the post andattached to the bridge at a point removed from the hin ed end thereof, alatch pivotally connecte to the post and fingers extending from thelatch, In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as one finger on eachlatch projecting into the my own, I have hereto aflixed my signaturepath of and adapted to be operated by the in the presence of twoWitnesses.

bridge when raised, and the other finger of HARRY H. HOWELL. 5 the latchbeing movable into the path of the Vitnesses:

raised bridge to hold it against return move- ROY ANDERSON,

ment. SYD MOMATH.

